A large delegation of BC municipal leaders in attendance at Dr. Bonnie Henry's presentation during the 2023 UBCM Convention in Vancouver. (Photo via Justin McElroy/CBC)
B.C.’s Provincial Health Officer is monitoring reports that a growing number of municipal politicians who were at last week’s UBCM convention in Vancouver are testing positive for COVID-19.
At least one Kamloops councillor has COVID-19, while another – who is currently under the weather – tells Radio NL they haven’t tested positive for the virus.
“And it just reminds us that there are viruses out there right now,” Dr. Bonnie Henry said Thursday. “COVID SARS-CoV-2 is one of them. [There is also] enterovirus and adenovirus, and those also have been spreading and cause cold and flu-like symptoms.”
“So yes, I have have heard that there are some people with COVID-19 and others who have been unwell after coming together last week.”
But Henry stopped short of calling the UBCM convention a superspreader event.
“I haven’t seen numbers that would suggest that to me but we certainly can look into it and people can report,” Henry added, responding to a question from Radio NL.
“Importantly, what we are not seeing are large numbers of more severe illnesses and that would be something that would be more worrying.”
Henry also says while some people have been quite sick there hasn’t been a surge in people needing to be hospitalized.
“I think that is a testament to how many people have been vaccinated and our municipal leaders in particular,” Henry said.
Unofficial reports also say a number of Thompson-Nicola Regional District directors who went to the UBCM have also become ill.
There were roughly 2,000 delegates attending the Vancouver gathering.
INQUIRY: #bcpoli, were you a delegate to the @UBCM in #Vancouver? A number of delegates to the convention have became ill (#covid). If you were in attendance, municipal leader — or otherwise — please, let us know. (We will verify all accounts) https://t.co/gD6nCvnZQj
— RadioNLNews (@RadioNLNews) September 29, 2023
